The Calendar
Winter: 1st Month (December analog): Auravath - Named for the ancient empress from one of the Old Kingdoms, who, according to legend, worked a spell of such power that ribbons of fire magic can still be seen on the horizon, once you're north of the Brightcrest mountain range. 2nd Month (January analog): Ishmorn - This month is named after an archaic word from a dated version of the common tongue, which was frequently used in older poetry to note that an event was taking place in the middle of winter and that everything was frozen. 3rd Month (February analog): Distover - This is actually the name of a common flower that is most notable for being able to bloom straight through a sheet of ice, its roots and stem pushing through snow and frost even before the spring thaw. A linguistic coincidence led to the flower receiving surprisingly similar names in most major languages, and a hybridized version of the name eventually became the name of both the flower and the month that it blooms in. Spring: 1st Month (March analog): Bargenholt - Another month named for an archaic word - 'Bargen' is from old Common, and refers to a common stop for trade caravans, which begin moving again at this time of year. 2nd Month (April analog): Logiscae - This month is named for the Old Common word for the Universal Truth, as stated in the most ancient holy scripture of the Church of Origins. Such scripture states that after the world and it's peoples were created, Purity and Law were given to them as the highest gifts and greatest good, and so the month after the beginning of the new year received the name. 3rd Month (May analog): Kazwyn - Technically named after the Elven warlord who won his greatest victories with a rather generous supply of wind mages. He, however, was named (or rather, he named himself) for the old elvish word for 'Hurricane.' Technically, Hurricane season begins at the end of Logiscae, but odds of a hurricane actually occurring increase dramatically during Kazwyn. Summer: 1st Month (June analog): Neritha - Named for the most active Shepherd of the Church of Origins, Neritha has almost passed into the realm of legend. It is stated that she was one of the original Shepherds that moved to Bastion when the city was founded, and that under her guidance, the city was clean, prosperous, and safe. Cynics and some scholars argue that most stories related to her are rife with hyperbole, but she is nonetheless treated kindly in history texts. 2nd Month (July analog): Firothe - Named for a prince of one of the Old Kingdoms. A very old myth tells the story of how he briefly brought a piece of the sun to his people in order to stop a famine, defeat an enemy army, solve a riddle, or trick his father out of the throne, depending on which version of the myth you're listening to. 3rd Month (August analog): Homora - Named for a staple crop which, long ago, effectively kept the people of this continent from starvation during an extremely bad blight/winter combination. The fruit is relatively tasteless and has less nutritional value than most other foods, but it takes forever to go bad and can be grown and harvested in a huge range of temperatures and weather conditions. Homora rinds are cheap, so the poor and homeless of most major cities typically have it as a large part of their diet. Autumn: 1st Month (September analog): Javori - The royal astronomer from one of the Old Kingdoms, credited with the invention of the sextant which ultimately made colonization of other continents possible. 2nd Month (October analog): Amber's Fall - rather unoriginally named after the grain harvest. 3rd Month (November analog): Moonharvest - most would say that this month was named after a legendary Harvest Moon of some sort. They would be wrong, however, as the month is actually named after an event wherein a great deal of moonstone plummeted from the sky and landed across the continent, starting southeast of Bastion and proceeding further south and east. Deep within the craters exist the richest (and perhaps best) pockets of moonstone in the world. (What moonstone is/does is up to someone else). Special Days '' The year has 365 days, and each of the 12 months has 30 days, which means that the combined days of all of the months do not account for all the days in the year. Five days lie outside any month. In order, they are: ''New Year's Day: The first day of each year occurs the day before the first day of Bargenholt. Whether it is a day of wild, racous celebration or solemn reflection (or anything in between) varies according to culture. (Leaving how Bastion handles the New Year - and any special effects that the special days have - to another player). Leyline Day: Whether or not 'leylines' - currents of magical energy beneath the surface of the world - actually exist is open for debate, but on this day of the year there is an inexplicable surge of general weirdness - not just for mages, but for all. A number of superstitions surround the day (which is sandwiched between Kazwyn and Neritha), which vary from one culture to another. It is worth noting that all international and multinational treaties signed on a leyline day have either been broken or have otherwise fallen through. Hallowed Day: Almost the opposite of Leyline day, this is reportedly the one day of the year when virtually all creatures reliant on supernatural powers fall dormant. It is preceeded, of course, by the Night of Masks, when all of those same creatures supposedly get in their last mischief before it's too late. Hallowed Day occurs between Amber's Fall and Moonharvest. The Night of Masks is the 30th night of Amber's Fall. Day of Swords/Day of Plowshares - These two days were named in the honor of the end of a great war, the name and details of which have been lost to time. Overly poetic or dramatic warlords and generals tend to start and end conflicts on the Day of Swords or the Day of Plowshares, respectively. The Day of Swords lies between Logiscae and Kazwyn. The Day of Plowshares lies between Homora and Javori. The Creator: The calendar itself is called the Javian calendar, named after Javi (sister to the aforementioned Javori) - a princess of the Old Kingdoms who grew bored with her sheltered life and sought refuge in her brother's work of mathematics and astronomy. She was third in line for the throne, but a sequence of unlikely and highly unfortunate events made her the queen, and one of her actions during her reign was to standardize the calendar across all of her territories. It caught on as aspects of the kingdom's culture spread, and it was eventually adopted everywhere humans are found. Other Calendars Nonhuman cultures are familiar with the Javian calendar as a matter of convenience, since humans are the most populous race in the world, but other calendars do exist - the elves of the Brightleaf clans run on a fairly accurate lunar calendar, for example, and some orcish clans use their own means of marking time. (An ancient orcish calendar, created by prophets and chieftans long before humans were speaking the languages they do today, ends in the year 1322, which some claim will be the end of the world. According to the orcish chieftans of today, the prophets who created it simply didn't feel like extending it any farther. The orcs themselves no longer use that calendar) Variance Despite some claims by astronomers looking for temporary academic glory, the year is exactly 365 days long, which the Church of Origins cites as further proof that law and order is the natural and righteous state of affairs. Special Days Sadah - Auravath 7th. Night of Masks - Amber's Fall 30th. Vernal Equinox - Logiscae 15-16th. Summer Solstice - Firothe 15-16th. Autumnal Equinox - Amber's Fall 15-16th. Winter Solstice - Ishmorn 15-16th. Sadah (Auravath 7th) is a feasting day held on the seventh day of winter each year. It originated after a great storm held the city in lockdown for seven days, with snow so fierce that a man could get lost by stepping outside; as such, when the storm suddenly let up, a spontaneous celebration erupted by those who were still alive and well. Since then, it has become a tradition to "eat, drink, and be merry" in defiance of the colder weather and shorter days; shops often have discounted meals or give away free food, and parties are commonplace in every class, no matter how rich or poor. The name originates from a now-lost language; it is a holdover from the earliest days of Bastion.